Posts Tagged ‘education’

Little ones and their caregivers now have two new ways to experience the Crocker Art Museum. The Museum has launched Story Trail, a family-friendly journey through the Museum, and Tot Land, an interactive gallery, designed for children from infancy to five years of age and their caregivers. Tot Land and Story Trail are sponsored, in part, by the First 5 Sacramento Commission.

Story Trail is an engaging way for young children and adults to talk about art while they visit the Museum. It features a captivating storybook, called “Birdy’s Museum Adventure,” which incorporates images and “characters” from works of art in the Museum’s permanent collection. The story leads families on an imaginative adventure to look, discuss, and discover seven works of art. Families can check out a copy of “Birdy’s Museum Adventure” at the Admission Desk and begin a fun exploration into the galleries with trail markers to lead the way.

Story Trail concludes in Tot Land, a gallery devoted entirely to families. Located in the Museum’s Education Center, the gallery is designed to encourage creativity while building early-learning skills. Tot Land features an interactive touch screen for unparalleled creative play, as well as spaces for art making and reading. All of the activities are designed to enable children and adults to learn together through layered, dynamic, and playful experiences. Resources available in Tot Land support a successful path to early literacy and creative thinking.

The interactive touch screen, called “The Living Art Wall,” uses highly advanced technology and gaming software to give children a unique educational experience. Using the screen, toddlers will be able to express their creativity through digital drawing and painting with their fingers. Visitors’ contributions will build on top of each other, creating a community mural.

Tot Land and Story Trail are *FREE* with Museum admission and are available during the Museum’s regular operating hours. For more information, click HERE or call 916. 808.7000.

This East Sac Mama will be checking out Tot Land and Story Trail on Wednesday with my little guy, I’ll let you know what we think.

As parents, we try to teach our children to share, so of course we want to model it ourselves! We wanted to take a moment today to share that the local blog Sacramento Scoop has a great summary of Earth Day events happening in our area. Click HERE to check it out.

Earth Day isn’t until April 21, but why not make it “Earth Month” and start the celebration with the Sacramento Zoo this weekend? Earth Fest is Saturday, April 2 from 9AM to 4PM you can take part in the following activities and events, along with enjoying the zoo’s inhabitants!

Participants and Exhibitors

Association of Professional Landscape Designers
Chipotle Mexican Grill
Consumnes River Preserve
Friends of the Sacramento Public Library
Friends of San Juan de Oriente
Friends of the Swainson’s HawkGus the Green tree frog, Sacramento Zoo Mascot
Heifer International
IKEA
Mira Loma High School – Arcade Creek Project
Organic Gardening Club of Sacramento County
Recycled Zoo Banner Bags for Sale!
Sacramento County Sierra Club
Sacramento New Technology High School
Sacramento Regional Sanitation District
Sacramento Stormwater Quality Partnership
Solar Cookers International
Tranquill Gardens
Village Nurseries
WormFancy…More participants to come!

The Sacramento Zoo is located at 3930 West Land Park Drive and for more information click HERE or call 916.808.5888. Admission is *FREE* for children under 2, $7 for ages 2-11, $10.25 for seniors, and $11 for the general public. Remember, members get in *FREE*.

Sunday, April 10, 3PMClassical Concert: William Feasley, GuitarInspired by “John Buck: Iconography,” classical guitarist William Feasley will perform works by American composers Peter Madlem, Robert Beaser, Carlos Jobim, and Thelonius Monk along with the world premiere of “Black Tango” (“Tango Negro”) by the Argentine composer Marcelo Ferraris. Purchase tickets HERE, at the admission desk, or by calling 916.808.1182. $6 members, $12 nonmembers.

This would be a great afternoon activity for a parent and teen! Why not grab a dessert at Ginger Elizabeth afterward and discuss the music?

Thursday, April 14, 5-9PMArt Mix: Lit FixCelebrate Literary Arts Month with a night full of poetry, spoken word, live music, tours, and talks. Don’t miss an open mic session and interactive activities. *FREE* with museum admission. Art Mix is part of the program series Thursdays ‘til 9.

Another good parent-teen activity, this would make for a fun “date night”. Grab dinner Tapa the World before you get your art fix.

Wednesdays, April 6, 13, 20 & 27, 11AMWee WednesdayBring your little one and yourself for gallery-based art activities for children ages 3 to 5. *FREE* with museum admission. This is a family program and space is limited. Signup begins at 10AM on the day of the event at the museum admission desk.

SUCH a fun activity for your toddler! Get them exposed to the arts at an early age.

Saturday, April 9, 1PMSunday, April 17, 11AMDrop, Yak, Splat! A Museum Adventure for FamiliesDifferent artworks will provide inspiration for a stimulating gallery experience for families and children of all ages. *FREE* with museum admission.

This would be a great way to start your family Second Saturday fun.

Tuesday, April 12, Noon-2PMHomeschool DayHomeschool and family groups are invited to visit the museum regularly for thematic gallery adventures designed to intrigue children ages six and older. Registration is required. For pricing specifics and registration, click HERE or call 916.808.1182.

Sunday, April 17, 1-3PMOpening Reception: Meaning and Medium – Self-Portraits by Christian Brothers High School StudentsSee the exhibition “Meaning and Medium,” on view April 7 through July 10, 2011, and meet the artists who have explored portraiture through fresh eyes.

Tuesday, April 19, 10:30AMBaby Loves Art – Singing in the RainBaby Loves Art is an entertaining and interactive way for children ages three and under and their caregivers to experience the educational stimulation that the visual arts can provide. Children sing, move, groove, touch, and play at the Crocker while building key cognitive and motor skills. This program is funded by the First 5 Sacramento Commission.

I can’t WAIT to take my 2 year-old to this new program for babies!

If you attend (or have attended in the past) any of the program or special events at the Crocker, we’d love to hear about it and get your thoughts and insight. Email us at eastsacmom{at}gmail{dot}com.

Green matters, if we each do a little, we all do a lot! Join Fairytale Town and several local area organizations and spend the day promoting environmental awareness. The event will feature educational displays on global warming, conservation and pollution. Children will be able to participate in various free recycled hands-on art activities. Local area organizations will also be on hand with booths to discuss green programs they offer, and to provide tips and tools on how to get started.

Puppet Art Theater will be performing The Three Little Pigs, with a conservation twist, in the Children’s Theater. Puppet show tickets are $1 for members, $2 for nonmembers, and children 1 and under are *FREE*. Puppet show times are 12:30PM, 1:30PM and 2:30PM. Fairytale Town Goes Green will take place from 11AM to 3PM on Saturday, March 26th.

Fairytale Town is located at 3901 Land Park Drive and admission is $4.50 for ages 2 and up and *FREE* for ages 1 and younger. For more information click HERE or call 916.808.5233.

Program Demonstrates Dangers of Distracted Driving in Hopes of Battling 1.6 Million Crashes Caused Annually by Cell Phone Usage and Texting While Driving

Read enough? If you are the parent of one of our East Sacramento teens, please consider registering them for this awesome *FREE* safe driving program offered at Cal Expo next weekend by Toyota.

The program’s curriculum is designed for teens and parents alike to:

Learn defensive driving skills and accident avoidance techniques

Identify the dangerous driving situations that they encounter daily

Experience firsthand the dangers of distracted driving and understand the relationship between distraction and reaction time

Understand vehicle dynamics and safety features

In an effort to foster an open dialogue between teens and parents about safe driving habits, a parent or guardian is required to attend the Toyota Driving Expectations program. As a result, parents learn the best practices to promote safe driving habits with their teen drivers, providing them with tips about how to continue improving driving skills at home.

The Toyota Safe Driving Program is open to teens aged 15-19 with a valid learners permit or drivers license and takes place at Cal Expo on March 12th and 13th.

Cal Expo is located at 1600 Exposition Boulevard and for more information or to register, click HERE.

If you aren’t already familiar with East Sacramento’s very own public library, you have been missing out. Along with the wealth of knowledge (and *FREE* DVD rentals) contained inside those walls, check out the *FREE* family-friendly activities you can enjoy this month:

Baby Lapsit Storytime, Tuesdays, March 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29, 10:30-11AM
Ages birth to 24 months. This storytime is designed to help develop literacy with stories, songs, and movement.

Toddler Storytime, Tuesdays, March 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29, 11-11:30AMStories, songs, fingerplays and more for children aged 18 months to 3 years.

St. Patrick’s Day School-Age Program, Thursday, March 17, 3:30-4:30PM
Bring your little leprechauns to McKinley Library to make green and gold crafts. Learn about the Fair Folk and listen to some Irish blarney.

Lego Creations Family Program, Saturday, March 26, 2-3:30PM
All ages are welcome! Come to McKinley Library and build fantastic new creations with Lego blocks. You can’t take it with you, but pieces created during the program will be proudly displayed in the library.

The McKinley Library is located at 601 Alhambra Boulevard and is closed on Sundays and Mondays. Hours of operation the rest of the week are Tuesdays 12-8PM, Wednesdays 10AM-6PM, Thursdays 12-8PM, Fridays 1-5PM and Saturdays 9AM-5PM. For more information click HERE.

Have you been to the new Crocker yet? Don’t wait, make March the month to check it out. Here are some great opportunities for you and your family to get involved!

Wednesdays, March 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30, 11AMWee WednesdayBring your little one and yourself to this gallery-based play date for children ages 3 to 5. *FREE* with museum admission.

Tuesday, March 8, Noon-2PMHomeschool DayHomeschool and family groups are invited to visit the museum regularly for thematic gallery adventures designed to intrigue children ages six and older. Registration is required. For pricing specifics and registration, click HERE or call 916.808.1182.

Saturday, March 12, 1PMSunday, March 20, 11AMDrop, Yak, Splat! A Museum Adventure for FamiliesDifferent artworks will provide inspiration for a stimulating gallery experience for families and children of all ages. *FREE* with museum admission.

Saturday, March 12, 4PMArt AppetizersOn Second Saturdays, start your evening at the Crocker with a tour of the Museum’s most recent exhibitions. This is a 50-minute experience designed to fulfill your art cravings. *FREE* with museum admission.

Sunday, March 20, 1-3PMYouth Art Month ReceptionIn conjunction with the California Arts Education Association (CAEA), the Crocker is proud to serve as a venue for Youth Art Month. At this reception we celebrate the artists and recognize successful participating art programs. *FREE* with museum admission.

The Crocker Art Museum, established in 1885, is one of the leading art institutions in California. The museum offers a diverse spectrum of special exhibitions, events, and programs to augment its collections of Californian, European, Asian, African and Oceanic artworks.

The Crocker is located at 216 O Street in Downtown Sacramento. Museum hours are 10AM–7PM, Tuesday and Wednesday; 10AM–9PM, Thursday; 10AM–5PM, Friday through Sunday. Every third Sunday of the month is “Pay What You Wish Sunday” sponsored by Bank of America. For more information, call 916.808.7000 or click HERE.

Little known fact about me (East Sac Mom “June”): My degree is in Kinesiology, which is the study of movement. I have a passion for physical activity, being outdoors, and eating healthy. Yes, I am totally that mom who serves organic low-sugar cake to my son, even on his birthday, and brings baby carrots when it’s my turn for snack at the play group. Don’t worry though, I have plenty of friends who regularly harass me for it. I’m sorry, I just don’t think a toddler needs an Easter basket full of chocolate and marshmallows! Whew. Now that I have that off my chest, let me share with you the awesome opportunity East Sacramento Moms have coming up next week to learn to feed our families healthier diets.

You are invited to a Prevention Plus lecture by Staci Ellis, RN, BSN, entitled, “Feeding the Hungry Brain”. The lecture will be held at 7PM on Tuesday, February 22nd at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral (2620 Capitol Avenue, Sacramento, 95816).

Staci Ellis is an RN and board-certified Holistic Nurse. Her focus includes working with families in need of improving their overall health status and decreasing their risk of developing chronic disease. Her areas of specialty include stress management, disease prevention and family nutrition, with an emphasis on chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, and autoimmune disorders, as well as ADD/ADHD and other conditions included in the autism spectrum.

Staci will lecture on the science behind how what we eat affects not only our physical health, but our mental health. Individuals and families dealing with learning disabilities, ADD/ADHD, autism will especially benefit. However, this is a universal message of health; she will provide tips, tools, and motivation to take control of your health picture and mental acuity through better nutrition. This event is *FREE* and open to the public. Please invite anyone you know who could benefit from better health.

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